Change Log:
Uploaded to github (After like 7 years lol) and fixed the shader variable issue.
Added VSM shadows, screen space water and ray tracing examples.
Added some improved post-processing functionality including the ability to set custom shader constants and pre/post render callbacks.
Transparent objects don't have to be affected by the shading anymore.
This new release features per-shadow light resolution settings, and the ability to change the resolution at runtime. Shadow map resolutions are cached and if multiple lights use the same resolution only one map is created.
These added features should be used with performance in mind. Now you can change your shadow map resolution through in-game settings, or assign lower shadow map resolutions to far away lights (Eg. 256x256) and switch to a higher one when the light comes into close view (Eg. 1024x1024). There is also a newly added option to clear all of the current shadow maps, allowing you to free prescious video ram. The shadow maps are automatically created again by XEffects at runtime, when they are needed.
Another new feature is the soft spot light cone, softening the edges of the light cone if you intend to use the shadow lights as actual spotlights/flashlights.
Also check out the new SSAO example. A newly included shader that calculates ambient occlusion on the fly!
This signifies a new revision in XEffects, with alot of changes, resulting in many new features and improved robustness. The amount of lights casting a shadow is now theoretically unlimited, even on older computers. The only limitation is performance, as each light is performed in it's own seperate additive pass.
Additive lighting is an exciting feature to have in a graphics program, as it allows very realistic simulation of lights and shadows. Normally, for example in Irrlicht's stencil shadows, one would set the color of the shadow, and the shadow will simple affect the area it covers with that color. Obviously, this is not a very realistic representation of lighting. In additive lighting, one sets the light color, and this color will cover everything except that light's shadowed area, it will even affect other light's shadowed areas! Therefore, if you place a blue light on one side of a pillar and a red light on the other, the red light will cast a blue shadow (Because only the blue light is lighting that area), and the blue light will cast a red shadow. This is of course, how lighting works in real life, and can add a whole lot of depth and realism to lighting in a graphics application. The lighting is additive, so the more lights the brighter everything will be.
Please refer to example.cpp for an introductory tutorial on using the XEffects wrapper.
Oh yeah, the shaders can be found in the "./Bin/shaders" directory, remember to copy the files to your own projects directories.
A side note on shadow maps: Shadow maps can be complicated in nature and require fine, fiiiine tweaking in order to look good. When integrating into your own project, please keep in mind that many variables will effect how it looks, or whether it works at all. The far value variable is essential, and you most likely 100% will need to modify it when adapting to your own project. It does not just specify the max distance, but also the scaling at which the depth buffering occurs. This means that if your objects are very spaced apart, then you must set a high value, else you will not see anything. If your objects are very close together you must ALSO change it to a very low value, else you will ALSO not see anything, or may see alot of garbage and artifacts. Other things to keep in mind is the light's near value and FOV.
I hope that was an insightful chapter to read, see you next time.
Cheers,
Copyright (C) 2007-2015 Ahmed Hilali
This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages arising from the use of this software.
Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose, including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it freely, subject to the following restrictions:
- The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software in a product, an acknowledgement in the product documentation would be appreciated but is not required.
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